I just ran across a great op-ed at HBR.org this afternoon by motivational psychologist and author, Heidi Grant Halvorson, Ph.D. The “Nine Things Successful People Do Differently” are within your reach; where you are today is only a frame of where you can be tomorrow.
As categorization goes, I like to think of three types of professionals – very successful, marginally successful, and clock puncher – and most of us have been in each one of those categories for varying lengths of time. If you’ve come this far, I imagine that your goal is to push the margin and spend more time in the very successful camp. While all nine actions mentioned above are essential, the two things I’ve found most useful in getting there are grit and working out your willpower muscle.
I don’t believe that you have to teach grit; you just have to push wants so far that they become needs. As for training your willpower muscle, do what the a smoker does to quit, replace your bad habits. Some experts recommend gum or lollipops, but I’ve found that a list of 10 other options is most effective. Consider this next time you find yourself scanning Facebook or G-chatting at work. What are the top 10 things you could be doing instead that will move you from clock puncher to marginally successful and then to the next level?
“In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” –Dwight D. Eisenhower
I’ve decided to move from Washington, DC, where I’ve spent the past 4.5 years, back to Fort Lauderdale, FL, where I grew up. The move was motivated by the sufficient alignment of various life events, but it was kicked off by one very crucial decision — setting the moving date.
We face decisions every day. Most are insignificant, like what to wear or where to eat, but some can have a major impact on your life. The foremost important factors in any decision are when and where; how comes later. My decision to move back to FL was driven by the expiration of my apartment lease so I had the when, and the where was finally determined by a thorough evaluation of the best place to achieve my 5 year goals.
By placing a stake in the ground we were able to start looking around for the best value in everything that goes into a move, including comparison of movers/DIY and storage. Further, I could point to a date-certain for my FL network to arrange any meetings when I arrive.
Major decisions need major stakes, but consider taking the initiative in even the simplest decisions among friends. Deciding on a restaurant is a perfect example. Set your stake on a date and time and then offer two options. Now, half of the problem is solved and you’ve had a chance to exercise your leadership muscles.
